Day Six

By the time Wilran and Gamma were equipped and ready, Tash returned, accompanied by a sizable crowd of humans and Galaks. Many looked disheveled, their faces marked by confusion and the weary expressions of those recently roused from sleep. Some whispered questions to each other, their voices mingling in uneasy murmurs. Sensing the tension in the room, Wilran cleared her throat and addressed them.

"We're getting you all out of here," she began, desperately trying to keep the tone of fear out of her voice. "We'll be moving northwest toward Salmarah, then Clayborn for those who wish to go further. It's a long journey, and I know some of you are exhausted already. Do your best to help those who are frail, especially the younglings."

A voice piped up from the back. "That's a three-day journey! How will we survive without food, water, or shelter?"

Wilran nodded, acknowledging the challenge. "I won't lie—it's not going to be easy. There's an outpost a day's march away, but after that, we'll need to rely on whatever we can find. I can't guarantee comfort, but if you stay here, your future is far more uncertain."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the crowd, considering her next words. Then, taking a breath, she continued, "The choice is yours. No one will judge you for what you decide."

Silence filled the room as the group absorbed her words, and without further discussion, Wilran moved to the door to watch for Einkidi's signal. She scanned the darkened street outside, her pulse quickening as she spotted the patrol she had last seen making their way back around the block. Suddenly, a fireball exploded atop the building's roof, sending flames crackling up through the thatch and quickly spreading to the wooden frame. A thick plume of smoke billowed skyward as one of the two Galaks on patrol shouted for assistance, while the other kicked down the door, rushing in without hesitation. A pang of regret twisted in Wilran's stomach, and she muttered a silent prayer for the brave Galak who was merely doing his duty.

"Follow me," she commanded the group, finishing her prayer.

They moved swiftly, Wilran leading them away from the burning building in the opposite direction. Though the city wall loomed close, they had to detour along the narrow backstreets to avoid drawing attention. Behind her, the chaotic sounds of shouting guards and crackling flames filled the air, but fortunately, the patrols were too focused on the fire to notice the escaping crowd.

After a grueling ten-minute dash, panting and weary, they arrived at the wall. Wilran began feeling along the cobbled stones, her fingers searching for the hidden switch. She started to get frustrated with herself, questioning if they were in the right place, but out of nowhere, a soft feminine voice broke through her fear.

"It's here," said Einkidi, stepping out of the darkess, red spectacles and all. With a short turn of a stone to the left of Wilran's hand, Einkidi opened the path now beckoning them to freedom.

Relief washed over Wilran's face, and she pulled Einkidi into a tight embrace, silently grateful her new sister hadn't been captured. The halfling's spectacles pressed against Wilran's chest, prompting her to pull back, but Einkidi held on a moment longer, refusing to let go.

"Thank the Goddess you're safe," Wilran whispered. "That was some fireball you conjured back there."

Einkidi grinned. "Picked up a few tricks from the goblins. If they knew half of what I do, they'd be terrifying."

"Ladies," Tash interrupted, joining them at the front of the crowd, "we need to move now. They'll be on us any second."

Wilran nodded, releasing Einkidi from the embrace. "Tash, you and Einkidi take the lead. I'll stay back with Gamma to make sure no one gets left behind. It should be safer on the other side."

A cry broke out from down the street. "What are you all doing there?"

"Run!" Wilran shouted.

The command shattered the relative calm, and the group surged forward, Tash and Einkidi at the helm, leading the throng of prisoners down the tunnel to the exit. Wilran could hear her shouts and cries bouncing their way off the solid stone walls. Their hurried footsteps echoed along the stone walls, mixed with a myriad of shouts, cries, and frantic breath. A young human girl, barely six completions, stumbled and fell, her cry lost amid the clamor. As Wilran twirled her hands preparing to throw a spell in the direction of the incoming Galak, she watched Gamma scoop up the youngling wordlessly in her hands.

"Go!" Wilran yelled, gesturing toward the tunnel. "I'll hold them off. Just get everyone inside!"

She watched as Gamma hurried forward with the child, while the Galak she'd struck fell to the ground. But another closed in fast, with several more not far behind. Wilran quickly retreated into the tunnel, positioning herself near the entrance as she lifted her mace, focusing a prayer to her goddess. Heat and static surged through her outstretched hand, igniting her body with a raw, fierce energy.

"Make it rain," she whispered, bringing the mace down hard.

A pillar of flame burst forth a few feet in front of her, forcing the oncoming Galak to jump back, barely avoiding the fiery surge. As the flames fanned out, Wilran realized they might spread down the tunnel. She quickly reached for the lever on her side of the wall, snapping the entrance shut just as the first of the flames licked the edges.

Darkness engulfed the passage. Wilran, with her elven sight, adjusted quickly, but the humans around her began to panic, their fear manifesting in gasps and stumbling steps.

Idiot, she thought. Not everyone can see in the dark like you can. Help them out before they hurt themselves. The goddess expects better.

She turned in towards the direction of the crowd ready to cast a light spell and there, running down the tunnel with the youngling still in her arms, was Gamma. With a fist raised in the air, its magic pulsed with a yellow light that now matched her aura.

Quickly, Wilran ran to catch up down the long passage. As they reached the halfway point, Wilran cast a second light on her mace to match Gamma's to extend the radius. From behind her, she could hear shouts now echoing down the hall.

"They've found the passage," she panted between breaths. "We'll need to collapse it or destroy the switch once we're out."

Gamma nodded, and together they picked up speed though it was short lived. In the distance she could see the entrance suddenly open and close. Wilran's eyes narrowed in an attempt to ascertain what was going on, but as Tash spoke, she knew they were in trouble.

"Go back! Go back!"

"What's going on?" She yelled.

More human and Galak cries echoed through the tunnel as Saintians turned in her direction. Pandemonium continued to erupt all around them. She could see Einkidi casting spells into the ceiling behind her. Small bits of rock came down, but Wilran doubted it would have done much slowed the ones pursuing them down.

Still, she turned and ran back towards the coming Galaks. The three that were in pursuit stopped at the sight of the oncoming crowd and stared in confusion.

"Run back!" Wilran cried while she tried to shoo the pursuing Galaks. She now screamed at the top of her own lungs no longer caring about being caught. She knew that whatever must have been at the end of the tunnel had to be worse than what lay before her.

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Still the Galaks did not move. They ignored the rushing crowd. Pushing past them, she emerged into the night air and found five more Galaks waiting near the exit. Among them stood Saan, looking completely bewildered as the human and Galak prisoners scattered, disappearing into the city.

"What's going..." Saan started to say, but fumbled almost being ran off.

A male escapee managed to grab the youngling from Gamma's arms, while the stammering Saan watched utterly muddled by what was happening. For a moment, Wilran turned back to see Einkidi throwing more spells at the ceiling while a dim light flooded the end of the tunnel.

As Tash and the three Galaks came through, Einkidi set one last spell at the switch on the inside, breaking it and shutting the door from the outside.

"Saan!" Tash screamed upon seeing him. "We need to evacuate the city. Goblins know about the secret entrance. A whole army of them are on their way through."

"He's right boss," said one of the other Galaks. "We saw them coming down the tunnel. They'll be here any second."

Saan's face paled as he turned to his men. "You heard him! Wake every man, woman, and youngling! Get them onto boats or out through the front gate—whatever it takes! I'll find the council. Tash, sound the alarm. Can you three buy us more time?"

"I'm tapped out," gasped Einkidi, her breath coming in short bursts. Under the moonlight, Wilran could see the sweat glistening on her face. "I used everything I had in the tunnel."

"Gamma, help Einkidi with the evacuation, then," Wilran instructed. "Find Katundra, and I'll meet you both there. If the boat fills up, push off without me."

Gamma scrunched her face giving Wilran a hard look. "I'm not leaving you."

"Chandeidra needs you more. You're her priestess, and her people need a leader. Please, don't argue."

"We don't have time for this," Tash interrupted.

The noise from the other side of the wall grew louder, a reminder that time was slipping away. At the sound, the rest of the Galaks scattered, leaving just the four of them. Wilran quickly surveyed the area and spotted a nearby building.

"I'll take cover on that roof. I'll buy us some time. If not... I'll see you in the presence of our first love."

Without warning, Gamma hugged her. A lump rose in Wilran's throat as she fought to maintain her composure, reluctant to let go. But the sounds behind her grew closer, pressing her forward. She released Gamma, turning away without looking back, and sprinted toward the house where she knew she'd likely make her final stand.

Approaching her spot, Wilran flicked her wrist, pushing magical energy into her legs. She felt its power surge through her muscles, pulsing and flexing with each stride. Its kinetic energy gathered in her limbs pushing her beyond her normal limits. When she jumped, she easily cleared the house and came down on its roof without having picked up additional speed from the fall. A large clatter arose under its tin siding, and while she hoped no one was home, she would have been grateful to get anyone out of its dwelling before the gobin horde broke through the wall.

Still, she needed to move. She turned back towards the wall to find it now abandoned. Knowing it was now or never, she closed her eyes to chant while holding both hands out to the right of the body; palms perpendicular to the ground.

"Goddess..." She shifted her left hand back to the left.

"Mother divine..." Right hand to the top palm now facing backward.

"Your radiance guides your servants through the night..." Left hand to match crisscrossing over the right.

From there Wilran held the underlying chant waiting to finish the rest of the spell.

A minute passed.

Then two.

At five, the alarm blared, and chaos erupted across the city. She could see townsfolk fleeing their homes, some heading to the gates, others to the docks. The power gathered in her hands pulsed, causing discomfort, but she gripped it tightly, holding her position.

At ten, the roof began to bend beneath her weight, sweat trailing down her face as her knees weakened. Without the magic she'd cast on her legs, she doubted she'd still be standing.

At twelve, she started to feel woozy. Pain erupted down her spine sending her senses into overdrive. More static erupted from her hands and she could feel her hair going in a thousand different directions; yet still she held.

At fifteen the wall exploded. The first of the goblins broke through, flooding the residential area. Wilran saw that most residents had already fled, but this was her moment. Quickly, and much to her arms' relief, she brought her hands straight down and directed the energy into the spot directly in front of the wall's opening.

"Baptize your enemies in your holy light."

A beam of light pulsed from the moon magnified on to the spot right in front of the opening. Goblins continued to pour through, screaming rage, only to wind up dead by the time they made it to the other side of the beam, fried to a crisp. Wilran knew the light would fade if she faltered, so she poured everything into maintaining its strength, determined to give Lightmount's people a chance to escape. As goblin after goblin fell, she held her stance, her body pushed beyond its limits. She didn't need to kill them, she just needed to buy time.

When nearly a hundred goblins had fallen, the flood finally ceased. Wilran steadied herself, relief mingling with exhaustion. But then, a single goblin appeared, stepping boldly into the beam. Smoke curled from his skin, yet he only grunted, unfazed by the light that had decimated his kin.

At first Wilran marveled at how he could do such a thing. However, as recognition of his bodily form crossed her face, she knew he was no ordinary goblin, but was the goblin they had seen in the temple of Lilith.

He was the Goblin King.

Without blinking, the Goblin King scanned the horizon. His beady yellow eyes eventually found hers, and with a menacing smile, he twisted his hands and disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke.

"Where did he—OOOF!"

Something crashed into her from behind, knocking her into the tin below. A large crash broke out all around them, her sudden fall causing her to lose concentration on her spell. She turned to face the unknown object and found herself face-to-face with the Goblin King.

"Typhon," she managed, a shiver running through her as fear flooded her veins.

Typhon's yellow eyes narrowed. "So, you know me, Prophet? My sister taught you well. But you won't live long enough to use it."

Without warning, purple energy coalesced in Typhon's hands, forming a glowing sword. He brought the weapon down hard on Wilran, who managed to roll out of its way in the nick of time. He tried to make a second attack, but she pushed herself off the tin hard with both her hands, forcing herself backwards like a frog. Her feet found his chest and with the magic that still resided in them, she forced him across the edge of the roof. He barely managed to catch himself, pulling back up with a snarl as he landed, now standing fifteen feet away.

"My sister was always full of surprises, but even you must realize you can't defeat me," he sneered.

Wilran bit back her fear, preparing to fight. It might have been true, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction. She would fight, no...she would die for the people of Sainta. Her future was already secure. She unslung her shield and tightened her grip on her mace, refusing to show any weakness.

Typhon once more grinned summoned his sword. He took a step towards Wilran, and then he suddenly stopped and snatched something out of the air, breaking it between his fingers. A

An arrow? Wilran chanced a glance in the direction it came from—and saw a familiar sight that made her heart soar. There, on a nearby roof, was her sister, Thepa, brown waves of hair blowing in the wind as she notched another arrow.

"Thepa!" Wilran's fear melted, replaced by fierce joy.

With Thepa's next arrow, Typhon managed to catch it mid-air, but now, with her sister at her side, Wilran set her resolve and charged.

For a minute or a lifetime, the battle raged. Typhon and Wilran traded blows as they blocked and parried, while Thepa would continue to notch arrow after arrow. Each time the creature expertly caught it in his off-hand or dodged it with super-Saintian dexterity. The longer the fight went on, the more rage built up inside Typhon. He managed to force Wilran to the ground, caught two of Thepa's arrows, and threw them back at her.

"You can't defeat me, Mountain Witch!" Typhon bellowed. "Neither of you can. My power surpasses yours."

"Maybe not," Thepa said notching a final arrow. "But I bet she can."

A blinding light burst across the rooftop, accompanied by a hauntingly beautiful melody that filled Wilran's heart. She looked up, tears welling as she took in the ethereal figure descending from the sky. Gamma stood, cloaked in the glory of the Goddess, her dress a shimmering pale blue, and her face hidden behind Chandeidra's icy mask.

With the sweetest song Wilran had ever heard, Gamma spoke. "Brother, it's time to end this."

Typhon's snarl softened into a sneer. "You won't kill me, Sister. Father forbids it."

"Father loves you, Brother," Gamma replied with sorrow. "I love you. Please, reconsider."

"It's too late," Typhon spat. "You abandoned me. Only Lilith cares now, and we will win."

Gamma sighed, her voice laced with regret. "Then it gives me no pleasure for what I'm about to do. Actions have consequences."

Gamma raised her hand, her fingers extending toward Typhon. A pale, ethereal light gathered at her fingertips, its glow soft casting long shadows across the rooftop. The light swirled, almost alive, and as she unleashed it, it surged forward like a river of starlight, striking Typhon and wrapping around him in a pulsing cocoon.

At first, Typhon fought against the light, his body tensing as he tried to break free. But the more he struggled, the tighter it seemed to bind him. His sneers turned to growls, his confidence cracking as the glow intensified, pressing in on him from all sides. The light pulsed rhythmically, each wave growing brighter, until it was blinding, swallowing everything.

Wilran instinctively shielded her eyes, feeling its warmth even through her closed lids. The intensity grew and grew, a crescendo of energy. She could sense a presence within it, something older and purer than she'd ever known. Even through her fear, there was a deep calm.

Then, just as suddenly, the light ebbed, fading to a soft glimmer before disappearing entirely.

Wilran lowered her hand, her vision adjusting slowly. Where the Goblin King once stood now laid a disfigured human male.